I'm interested in applying to American University and I need some clarification on their admissions process. Do they offer rolling admissions, and how should that influence when I submit my application?
American University does not have a rolling admissions process. Instead, they offer an Early Decision I deadline in November, an Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadline in January. With these deadlines, admissions decisions are then released on specified notification dates.
The decision to apply Early Decision (which is binding) or Regular Decision (which is not) depends mostly on how strongly you feel about American University. If it's your first choice and you're ready to commit, applying Early Decision might be beneficial. As a note, Early Decision applicants should have a clear understanding of the financial implications before choosing to apply through this route.
If you want more time to consider your options and potentially compare financial aid offers from different schools, Regular Decision would likely be a better route. This would also give you some additional time to strengthen your application if needed, such as by including first semester senior grades or adding to your extracurricular experiences.
It's always a good idea to submit your application well before the deadline regardless to make sure any technical issues or other complications don't delay your submission.
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